Parties given seven days to form government in Madhesh Province

KATHMANDU: Province Chief of Madhesh Province Hari Shankar Mishra has summoned parties represented in the Madhesh Province Assembly to make a claim for government formation within seven days.

Issuing a statement on Friday, the Office of the Province Chief has invited parties to make a claim for government formation by 4 pm on January 12.

“Since no party commands a majority in the province assembly to form a government as per Article 168 (1) of the Constitution of Nepal, 2015, two or more political parties are invited to make a claim for the government formation as per Article 1682 (2),” reads the statement.

CPN-UML is the largest party in the 107-member province assembly with 23 seats, followed by Nepali Congress with 22, Janata Samajbadi Party with 16 and Janamat Party with 13. Similarly, CPN (Maoist Center) and CPN (Unified Sociliast) have nine seats each and Nagarik Unmukti Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Nepal Sanghiya Samajbadi Party have one seat each. Likewise, five are independent assembly members.

Parties need the support of 54 members to form the government. The seven-party ruling coalition is expected to make the claim for government formation. Two coalition partners – Janata Samajbadi Party and Janamat Party – have been staking claim to the Chief Minister’s post in the province.